Latest news with #seabedMining
RNZ News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Taranaki Regional Council rebuffs calls to oppose seabed mining
The seabed mining protest at the weekend. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Taranaki Regional Council has rebuffed calls for it to get off the fence and take a stand against a proposal to mine the seabed off the Patea coast. Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) has approval to vacuum up 50 million tonnes of sand annually from the South Taranaki seabed for 35 years to extract iron, vanadium and titanium, but the company still needs consent to discharge 45 million tonnes of unwanted sediment a year back into the shallow waters. TTR - which is currently going through the Fast Track consenting process - says it can do this environmentally safely and that its project will significantly boost the national and regional economies. The regional council has twice made neutral submissions on TTR's proposal and at Tuesday's powerful policy and planning committee it chose again to walk that tightrope, arguing that to take a stance could jeopardise its future opportunities to influence the project. A 2024 hīkoi in Patea to oppose seabed mining. Photo: Supplied/ Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust Earlier it heard a deputation from Protect Our Moana Taranaki spokesperson Fiona Gordon - who helped co-ordinate a paddle-out protest attended by about 1200 people at west coast beaches over the weekend. She reminded councillors the TRC was the region's environmental watchdog. "Opposing seabed mining aligns with your statutory duty to protect ecosystems and coastal waters for the interest of future generations. The areas within your direct jurisdiction would be harmed and there is no safeguard, no accurate modelling that can really portray what will actually happen." Gordon wanted the TRC to unite with Whanganui and South Taranaki district councils who had come out in opposition of Trans-Tasman Resources' proposal. "Being neutral is not an option when you have a duty to uphold the care of our ecosystems and the well-being of our communities." Ngāti Ruanui iwi member and Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer also addressed councillors. She said TTR's application for Fast Track consents was no different than had been knocked back right up to the Supreme Court and all eight Taranaki were united in their rejection of the proposal. "Is this council going to stand with us, are you part of us or are you going to stand on the side on you're little island away from the rest of us who've been fighting this, away from the rest of us who have to confront this ... where do you belong." On Tuesday, the policy and planning committee was considering a new report on the issue: Fast Track Approvals Act and Taranaki VTM Project (Trans-Tasman Resources). A map showing the area covered by the South Taranaki Bight Project. Photo: Trans-Tasman Resources Following the deputations, committee chair Bonita Bingham outlined her reservations about taking a stance against the project. "I'm concerned that you are urging us to take a stance as a council to opposed seabed mining because we are in the privileged and lucky position where this organisation is going to be possibly or even probably one of the very few that get to submit to the hearing panel. "Now if we in the room approve a motion to oppose seabed mining that would create a conflict of interest and we will be immediately struck off that hearing panel which gives us no voice." In the report, strategy lead Finbar Kiddle, clarified that if the TRC took a stand against seabed mining it could jeopardise its ability as a "relevant local body" to recommend a member to the expert panel considering TTR's application. "The council will very likely be considered a relevant local authority for the Taranaki VTM Project application. This means council will have the opportunity to nominate a panel member and make comment on the application. "The council needs to approach its assessment of the application in a similar manner to if it was assessing a resource consent application. This means avoiding any inference of predetermination, undertaking a robust review of the relevant documents, and focusing on the regulatory tests set in the legislation. "To do otherwise, risks prejudicing council's engagement and undermining its input into the process. Predetermination, either for or against the project, would ultimately harm the position put forward." Councillors voted to receive the report and no motion to oppose seabed mining was put forward.
CNA
09-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Don't let deep sea become 'wild west', UN chief tells world leaders
NICE: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Monday (Jun 9) the world could not let the deepest oceans "become the wild west", at the start in France of a global summit on the seas. World leaders are attending the UN Ocean Conference in Nice as nations tussle over contentious rules on mining the seabed for critical minerals and the terms of a global treaty on plastic pollution. US President Donald Trump has brought urgency to the debate around deep-sea mining, moving to fast-track US exploration in international waters and sidestepping global efforts to regulate the nascent sector. The International Seabed Authority, which has jurisdiction over the ocean floor outside national waters, is meeting in July to discuss a global mining code to regulate mining in the ocean depths. Guterres said he supported these negotiations and urged caution as countries navigate these "new waters on seabed mining". "The deep sea cannot become the wild west," he said, to applause from the plenary floor. Many countries oppose seabed mining, and France is hoping more nations in Nice will join a moratorium until more is known about the ecological impacts of the practice. French President Emmanuel Macron said a moratorium on deep-sea mining was "an international necessity". "I think it's madness to launch predatory economic action that will disrupt the deep seabed, disrupt biodiversity, destroy it and release irrecoverable carbon sinks - when we know nothing about it," the French president said. The deep sea, Greenland and Antarctica were "not for sale", he said in follow-up remarks to thunderous applause. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for "clear action" from the seabed authority to end a "predatory race" among nations seeking critical minerals on the ocean floor. "We now see the threat of unilateralism looming over the ocean. We cannot allow what happened to international trade to happen to the sea," he said. WAVE OF COMMITMENTS Macron said a global pact to protect marine life in international waters had received enough support to become law and was "a done deal". The high seas treaty struck in 2023 requires ratifications from 60 signatory countries to enter into force, something France hoped to achieve before Nice. Macron said about 50 nations had ratified the treaty and 15 others had formally committed to joining them. This "allows us to say that the high seas treaty will be implemented," he said. Other commitments are expected on Monday in Nice, where around 60 heads of state and government have joined thousands of business leaders, scientists and civil society activists. On Monday, the United Kingdom is expected to announce a partial ban on bottom trawling in half its marine protected areas, putting the destructive fishing method squarely on the summit agenda. Bottom trawling involves huge fishing nets indiscriminately dragging the ocean floor, a process shockingly captured in a recent documentary by British naturalist David Attenborough. Macron said on Saturday that France would restrict trawling in some of its marine protected areas, but was criticised by environment groups for not going far enough. WORDS INTO ACTION On Sunday, French environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher hinted at "important announcements" in Nice about the creation of new marine protected areas. Samoa led the way this past week, announcing that 30 per cent of its national waters would be under protection with the creation of nine marine parks. Just 8 per cent of global oceans are designated for marine conservation, despite a globally agreed target to achieve 30 per cent coverage by 2030. But even fewer are considered truly protected, as some countries impose next to no rules on what is forbidden in marine zones or lack the finance to enforce any regulations. Nations will face calls to cough up the missing finance for ocean protection. Small island states are expected in numbers at the summit to demand money and political support to combat rising seas, marine trash and the plunder of fish stocks. The summit will not produce a legally binding agreement at its close like a climate COP or treaty negotiation. But diplomats and other observers said it could mark a much-needed turning point in global ocean conservation if leaders rose to the occasion.
Arab News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Don't let deep sea become ‘wild west', Guterres tells world leaders
NICE: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Monday the world could not let the deepest oceans 'become the wild west,' at the start in France of a global summit on the seas. World leaders are attending the UN Ocean Conference in Nice as nations tussle over contentious rules on mining the seabed for critical minerals and the terms of a global treaty on plastic pollution. US President Donald Trump has brought urgency to the debate around deep-sea mining, moving to fast-track US exploration in international waters and sidestepping global efforts to regulate the nascent sector. The International Seabed Authority, which has jurisdiction over the ocean floor outside national waters, is meeting in July to discuss a global mining code to regulate mining in the ocean depths. Guterres said he supported these negotiations and urged caution as countries navigate these 'new waters on seabed mining.' 'The deep sea cannot become the wild west,' he said, to applause from the plenary floor. Many countries oppose seabed mining, and France is hoping more nations in Nice will join a moratorium until more is known about the ecological impacts of the practice. French President Emmanuel Macron said a moratorium on deep-sea mining was 'an international necessity.' 'I think it's madness to launch predatory economic action that will disrupt the deep seabed, disrupt biodiversity, destroy it and release irrecoverable carbon sinks — when we know nothing about it,' the French president said. The deep sea, Greenland and Antarctica were 'not for sale,' he said in follow up remarks to thunderous applause. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for 'clear action' from the seabed authority to end a 'predatory race' among nations seeking critical minerals on the ocean floor. 'We now see the threat of unilateralism looming over the ocean. We cannot allow what happened to international trade to happen to the sea,' he said. Macron said a global pact to protect marine life in international waters had received enough support to become law and was 'a done deal.' The high seas treaty struck in 2023 requires ratifications from 60 signatory countries to enter into force, something France hoped to achieve before Nice. Macron said about 50 nations had ratified the treaty and 15 others had formally committed to joining them. This 'allows us to say that the high seas treaty will be implemented,' he said. Other commitments are expected on Monday in Nice, where around 60 heads of state and government have joined thousands of business leaders, scientists and civil society activists. On Monday, the United Kingdom is expected to announce a partial ban on bottom trawling in half its marine protected areas, putting the destructive fishing method squarely on the summit agenda. Bottom trawling involves huge fishing nets indiscriminately dragging the ocean floor, a process shockingly captured in a recent documentary by British naturalist David Attenborough. Macron said on Saturday that France would restrict trawling in some of its marine protected areas but was criticized by environment groups for not going far enough. On Sunday, French environment minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher hinted at 'important announcements' during Nice about the creation of new marine protected areas. Samoa led the way this past week, announcing that 30 percent of its national waters would be under protection with the creation of nine marine parks. Just eight percent of global oceans are designated for marine conservation, despite a globally agreed target to achieve 30 percent coverage by 2030. But even fewer are considered truly protected, as some countries impose next to no rules on what is forbidden in marine zones or lack the finance to enforce any regulations. Nations will face calls to cough up the missing finance for ocean protection. Small island states are expected in numbers at the summit to demand money and political support to combat rising seas, marine trash and the plunder of fish stocks. The summit will not produce a legally binding agreement at its close like a climate COP or treaty negotiation. But diplomats and other observers said it could mark a much-needed turning point in global ocean conservation if leaders rose to the occasion. 'We say to you, if you are serious about protecting the ocean, prove it,' said President Surangel Whipps Jr of Palau, a low-lying Pacific nation.
RNZ News
08-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'Nothing short of disastrous': Seabed mining project another 'muru raupatu' for Taranaki
No seabed mining written on the beach with boards and canoes Photo: supplied / Tania Niwa About 300 people braved icy waters off the New Plymouth coast on Sunday to protest against the Pātea seabed mining project in South Taranaki. It was a part of a nationwide stand on World Oceans Day opposing fast-tracked seabed mining applications around the country. Australian company Trans-Tasman Resources (TTR) plans to mine 50 million tonnes of South Taranaki seabed every year. The project last month cleared its first hurdle in the fast-track process with the application accepted as being complete . Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said there are other applicants waiting to "take sand and make it sludge".' "To the left of it and to the right of it, inside of it and outside of it. My point being, if we think that TTR are the only people lining up, we're extremely naive." Some people stood in solidarity Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Ngarewa-Packer compared the project to the Parihaka land wars . "We've had the lessons of what confiscation and muru raupatu looks like - we don't need to see them repeated again. "There's more whenua (land) under our ocean and we are really fortunate as children of resistance, as communities of resistance, as tangata tiriti beside us who have seen the resistance to what it is, to have confiscation of our land." At the break of dawn, Ngarewa-Packer was amongst the Pātea group who met up and took to the water, then drove to Ngāmotu to do it again at midday. "The biggest power that you have is when I was out in the moana and I turned around and I looked at everybody, there's this kotahitanga," Ngarewa-Packer said. "If there's anyone that can show the rest of Aotearoa what unity looks like, it's got to be Taranaki." some of the more colourful protesters Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews The West Coast paddle-out was repeated elsewhere - a group from Pātea currently in Tahiti also joined in solidarity. Pātea's Joanne Peacock said the fast-track greenlight will cause devastation to the community. "That's where we get kai from, recreational, our fishermen, and we've got a beautiful reef out there, and all the pygmy whales and the dolphins that are coming out there every year now, they're migrating around through the South Taranaki Bight. So, it's huge for us." John Niwa taking some washed up seaweed for a 'hangī' he reckons Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Pip Ngaia from the Waitara Bar Board Riders Club surfs every day, and Sunday's event made him emotional. "Tangaroa has nurtured all of us, all life, and we just need to take care of them, so this is very important. My heart and soul is into this." Pip Ngaia chucking a hangloose Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews He first surfed in South Taranaki "around 50 years ago" and said it was sad to see what was happening. "It's time for us to take heed of what's happening on our planet, and what's happening in our backyards. "If the government will get off their arses and actually think about the people, and take care of what we have, they'll stop selling everything." Waka ama paddlers departed Ngāmotu beach at 12pm on Sunday. They paddled 5km to reach East End beach by karakia. Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Anaru Wilkie was one of those paddlers. "[TTR] have been tested and found wanting in terms of their application, in terms of everything that's been put through the most rigorous tests. For them to come through and then apply through the back door as an abuse of power, an abuse of decency in terms of their application. "So, who's going to speak for the moana? Our tangata, people. We speak for the moana because its voice has been ignored by statute, by our House of Parliament. So, we're the people, that's why we're here." Not all people who took part in the protest had boards or vessels. Some also didn't have wetsuits. Surfers holding hands at East End beach, New Plymouth Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews Soraya Ruakere-Forbes did not need either, and did not hesitate before jumping in the water. The longstanding environment kaitiaki said this protest should extend to all of Aotearoa and to the Pacific Islands. "If [TTR] go through here and start here in our rohe, this opens the door for this to happen all up and down our coast and all up the Pacific. So, we need all of our whanau behind us." Some people stood in solidarity Photo: RNZ / Emma Andrews RNZ approached TTR for comment. The company reissued a statement released 16 April which said the project was a transformative opportunity for the country's economy. It said there would be comprehensive environmental safeguards, and the operation would generate more than 1300 jobs as well as $850 million annually, making it one of New Zealand's top 12 exporters. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Bloomberg
30-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
US Strategy on Deep Sea Mining? Dig, Baby, Dig
On my desk at home is a dusty, reddish mineral nodule about the size of a small potato. It was harvested from the deep Pacific, and given to me by a friend who is seized with the idea of mining the deep seabed. He also knew that I wrote my Ph.D. thesis in the early 1980s on the technology transfer provisions in the deep-seabed mining portions of the United Nations Law of the Sea treaty. I look at that nodule, which I generally use as a paperweight, from time to time as I muse about the huge potential of seabed mining. Extracting minerals from the floors of the ocean is very attractive strategically. There are huge deposits of cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper, lithium and rare-earth metals that can be scooped up in the form of nodules and refined. The hard part is getting them to the surface, which can be done using a combination of underwater drones, dredging with mechanical arms and nets, and hydraulic systems to blast them up toward the ocean's surface.
